A DAD who drove through Ipswich town centre after taking a "cocktail" of drugs has today been banned from driving for 18 months.Graham Hickman, 25, of Kelly Road, Ipswich, drove his Vauxhall Cavalier through the centre of town while high on a mixture of morphine, cocaine and benzodiazepam, a court heard.

A DAD who drove through Ipswich town centre after taking a "cocktail" of drugs has today been banned from driving for 18 months.

Graham Hickman, 25, of Kelly Road, Ipswich, drove his Vauxhall Cavalier through the centre of town while high on a mixture of morphine, cocaine and benzodiazepam, a court heard.

He admitted driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs and a separate charge of driving without insurance.

Andrea Reynolds, prosecuting at South East Suffolk magistrates yesterday , told the court that police officers on duty in Princes Street on the evening of October 31, had spotted Hickman driving erratically.

She said: "They became concerned about the manner of his driving. He was driving at a noticeably slow speed and was all over the road. At one point he veered on to the opposite carriageway."

Hickman's journey took him along Civic Drive, Princes Street and Museum Street. It ended when he noticed police were following him and pulled into a layby, mounting the curb.

Ms Reynolds said: "An officer went to the driver's door and noticed that Mr Hickman seemed unsteady and disorientated, and his eyes were glazed."

A roadside breath test showed no traces of alcohol but a blood test later confirmed Hickman had traces of cocaine, morphine and benzodiazepam in his system.

Representing himself, Hickman, a single dad, told the court he had been addicted to heroin at the time but had since been to a rehabilitation clinic after having his two-year-old son taken into care by social services.

He said: "I've now been clean for four weeks and I intend to stay clean, for my sake and for my son's."

Sentencing Hickman, chair of the bench Mr Peter Wyllie said: "It is what I think can be reasonably referred to as a cocktail of drugs.

"But the sheer fact that you've voluntarily come off heroin indicates to us that you realise the seriousness of drugs.

"You did, however, drive in an appalling manner and the consequences of that really are quite frightening. You are extremely lucky there was no one around."

Hickman was banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to pay a £200 fine.